Essay on Marketing of the Sport Celebrity - 2080 Words

The business of sports marketing has become both lucrative and influential in shaping sport in general and the individual athletes. The desire for endorsement offers and profitable media coverage has become a crucial facet of modern sport. With a selection of athletes making millions of dollars a year, outside of their sporting arena, it is obvious to see the impact of marketing and advertising on sport. In this essay I will examine the ways in which marketing effects the athletes and sport in general. Also, I will identify the characteristics of a marketable sporting celebrity and further look into African American athletes specifically and the way the African American community is marketed. Sport has not always been covered in†¦show more content†¦In the 1970s there was a greater power to shape perceptions about these athletes. With this new desire for exciting sports figures, the new task became finding marketable and lucrative athletes that stood out from the masses. Star potential is crucial when marketing an athlete to be a celebrity. The athlete must have a unique personality, something bold and different that makes them shine from the rest. There are different facets of marketable celebrities such as the strong fierce athlete, the hero, and the controversial player. Examples of controversial athletes are Mike Tyson, Charles Barkley, Dennis Rodman and Alex Higgins. The hero athlete is someone like Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan. And lastly the strong and fierce competitor like Allen Iverson or Muhammad Ali, are all marketable athletes who have become household names. What makes a popular athlete so exciting is that because athletes are usually so quiet; the ones that do speak are listened to. Due to the popularity of these stars, their pay checks back up the idea of sport as big business. George Steinbrenner of the New York Yankees says that the players salaries depend on how many fannies he puts in the seats (Quirk 216). In understandi ng this, it greatly highlights the importance of marketing to modern sport and way athletes are paid. For example, New York Yankee Derek Jeter would have beenShow MoreRelatedGatorade Branding Strategy1569 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Background Gatorade has emerged as the global leader in sports nutrition beverages by continually managing their brand to signify high energy, athletic excellence combine with one of the most efficient new product development and introduced processes in the beverage industry. As a result of being able to consistently synchronize these many components of their business so well, Gatorade today holds a 75% market share in the sports nutrition market globally today. Gatorade is owned by PepsiCoRead MoreThe Branding Strategy of Gatorade: An Analysis1449 Words   |  6 Pagesimages that symbolize exceptional athletic performance, high energy, and prowess in sports and in life will succeed. 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